Just today, report got to us that the fight against Boko Haram is not over as the insurgents were not defeated yet, United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambers has said.




Dr Muhammed Chambers said this in an interview with newsmen  in Maiduguri on the sideline of the two-day Lake Chad Governors’ Forum for Regional Cooperation on Stabilisation, Peace-building and Sustainable Development. 


“Boko Haram is no means defeated but certainly weakened. The fight needs to continue,” he said.


Chambers said the UN and the international community would continue to support the region to get rid of Boko Haram insurgents in the Lake Chad Basin.


”The heads of states of the region, the countries of the region came together and created a joint force, a MNJTF that took the fight to Boko Haram.


“They pushed Boko Haram out of the territories in which it was operating and generally demonstrated that if countries stand together, collaborate and join forces together, they can defeat Boko Haram.


“This effort is supported and will continue to receive the support of the United Nations and  the international community.  


“The fight needs to be pursued. We are very encouraged what we have heard from the force commander of the MNJTF.


“We want to assure MNJTF of the UN and the international community support in this legitimate fight to rid the Lake Chad of Boko Haram.


“Today’s initiative on the part of the government is to see how at the local level they can begin to collaborate in the area of humanitarian development and reintegration.


“One of the important efforts is bringing back life to the people, creating livelihood for the people and the best way to do that is through the governors of the Lake Chad region.”